Wales will replace Italy in ninth place in the World Rugby Women's Rankings once they are officially updated at 12 noon on Monday (GMT+1) after achieving their first win over Australia at the seventh attempt in Newport on Friday night.
The game looked to be heading for a draw with the score at 24-24 in the dying seconds but flanker Kate Williams scored in the last play of the match to hand Wales a famous 31-24 victory.
It was Wales' fifth try of the match – only one fewer than they had managed in all previous six meetings combined – and followed Molly Reardon's brace and scores for captain Keira Bevan and Alisha Joyce-Butchers.
🌟 SEREN Y GÊM
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) September 20, 2024
Llongyfarchiadau @keirabevan14 #HerStory | #EiHanesHi pic.twitter.com/oA0M08GH7V
With a fraction under a point gained for the win, Wales' new rating of 74.47 is enough to take them above the Azzurre.
The Wallaroos, who have only won once all year, have just about hung onto sixth place. However, only 0.05 points separates them from Ireland.
Wales and Australia will meet again in the second match of WXV 2 2024 at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 28 September.
Meanwhile, tournament hosts South Africa concluded their preparations with a 36-19 win against Spain, a result that will not affect either teams position in the rankings.
The Springbok Women remain the higher ranked of the two teams with an improved rating of 66.22 points, while WXV 3 participants Spain are one place below them on 64.10.
Spain's final WXV 3 opponents Fiji suffered a setback on the eve of the tournament as they fell to a 12-10 defeat at the hands of tournament newcomers, the Netherlands.
Fiji will drop below Russia and into 15th as a result of the defeat in the maiden meeting between the sides, while the Netherlands will remain one place further back having fallen short of the margin required to move above the Pacific Island nation.
Despite being only two places higher than Madagascar in the rankings, Kenya swept the Lady Makis aside when the team met in Nairobi this weekend, winning by a record score and margin.
Kenya's 63-19 win against the Rugby Africa Women's Cup 2024 runners-up will not lead to any change in their respective rankings though, with the Lionesses remaining in 23rd and Madagascar in 25th.
Lastly, Romania marked their return to test rugby after 16 years away with an emphatic 66-12 win at home to Bulgaria in the Rugby Europe Women's Conference.
Romania are set to climb four places to 40th on the back of the win, while Bulgaria will be down to 51st.
